


Divination

by Corvid_Knight, NKMLN



Series: Demonstuck [9]
Category: Homestuck
Genre: Demonstuck, Mentioned Character Death, my tumblr is knight-of-heart-and-art, psychic character, side chapter for Demon Eyes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-28
Updated: 2018-04-28
Packaged: 2019-04-29 05:49:23
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,852
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14466357
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Corvid_Knight/pseuds/Corvid_Knight, https://archiveofourown.org/users/NKMLN/pseuds/NKMLN
Summary: Bonus chapter/epilogue for Demon Eyes! Another collaboration withninja-kitty-more-like-no!





	Divination

Your name is Jake English, and you feel decidedly odd. 

It's a familiar type of oddness, though, something annoying but not really quite painful. Like there's a hedgehog inside your skull, shifting uneasily and prickling the inside of your head each time it does. 

Oh.

You need your cards. That's what this is. There's something that the power that speaks through you wants to be known; if you go fetch the tarot cards and deal them out, read the meaning in them, this annoyance will stop. It's that simple.

So you glance at the clock, get to your feet, raise one hand to your head when the imaginary hedgehog jumps in alarm—

_Oh, damn._

You know that something's gone wrong even before you look up and see that the clock's jumped forward two hours. You're sitting down again; Rose has ahold of one of your hands, John—some part of your mind insists that he was in the other room only a moment ago, he can't _possibly_ have moved that quickly—is directly in front of you, watching you nervously, his grip so tight on the camera in his hands that his knuckles have gone white. 

"So, don't freak out," John starts when he realizes that you're yourself and present again (does he know that that's the best way to make you freak out?), "but you just blacked out again. Kind of for a long time." 

Christ. 

This doesn't happen often, especially not when you're awake. It's more usual for the powers to take control of you when you're asleep, when your defenses are low or nonexistent. For them to force themselves in when you're awake, take your consciousness away or pause you or put you to sleep or whatever it is they _do_ so they can speak prophecies through you...something is happening, or about to happen. Something important. 

From how Rose's face is twisted up into a mask of apprehension, you won't lay odds on it being the good sort of important. 

"Let me see." You need to be the one to interpret whatever was said, that's how this works, but John takes a quick step back as you reach for the camera. 

"Yeah, uh." Oh this is not good. John's _afraid,_ his expression too serious for his face as he hunts for the correct words. "It was...bad, okay? At least I think it was—you were pretty freaking intense..." 

"That's normal, isn't it?" Something about the posture you're holding—hand out, head tilted just slightly to look up at John—is extremely uncomfortable. Not like there's a hedgehog, not anymore; more like there's a hole, a void in the center of your brain. 

It feels bad.

It feels _frightening._

You blink behind your glasses, and realize that Rose is gripping your hand tight enough to hurt. 

Worry begins to eat an empty place in your stomach to match the one in your head. "John, show me." 

He hesitates. Glances at Rose. Then carefully sets the camera down on the table in front of you, adjusting the screen before starting the video. 

Your eyes are dark, when it's not you in them, closer to muddy moss than the verdant color you're used to seeing in the mirror. The power speaking through you doesn't quite know how to handle a corporeal body; it holds itself too still when it's not moving, moves oddly when it does. 

Onscreen, Rose stays out of arm's reach, wary eyes fixed on you. She's afraid, you see. Of you. Of what you might do. Of what you might _say._

You squeeze her hand. 

She doesn't answer—which is absolutely terrifying, you hate the cold sick feeling her silence fills the pit in your stomach with—but she squeezes back. 

" _Why are you here?_ " John asks from behind the camera, the proximity to the little camera's mic turning his voice oddly loud. He doesn't sound scared, at least. 

" _A message._ " You're answering John's question, but it's quite obvious that it's Rose you're speaking to; your half-open eyes never leave her, not through the painfully languid pace of your speech. " _I bear a message. News, if you will; that which must be known._ " 

The camera shakes as John's grip shifts, and this time it's Rose who asks the question. " _What sort of news?_ "

Your—no, his, you can't think of that stranger in your body as yourself— _his_ head tilts slowly to one side, as if he's considering the question. Then... " _The knight of blades and fortune falls._ " 

Your heart stutters and tries to stop as you draw in a sharp breath. "No—" 

He's still speaking. Slowly. So awfully slowly. 

" _The knight of blades and fortune, Second of the Two, falls and is fallen. As the prophecy foretold, so it is; by the First's blade and the Speaker's cunning he falls, for the Guardian's plans he falls. The knight falls. The knight has fallen, the blade breaks and is broken, fortune turns as the wheel turns. The knight has fallen._ " 

You're shaking. You were fine a moment ago, but now you shake and can't stop yourself. 

"Jake," Rose says softly, "talk to us." 

You can't speak. It's all you can do to shake your head. 

" _The knight danced on the Speaker's strings, and fell._

The Speaker. Kurloz. _Oh, Dave. I've killed you._

" _Tell us about the knight, Jake,_ " John requests on the little screen. Sometimes it's possible to draw more information out by questioning, but since John and Rose are both looking at you for answers _now,_ you're going to guess that it didn't work. 

The version of you onscreen turns his head, finally acknowledging the camera. " _The page of wands_ sleeps," he says firmly, then shakes his head, eyes opening too wide. " _The knight—the knight, the knight of blades and fortune, knight of blood and betrayal, the—_ " 

His voice has been rising in volume and tone through this entire scrambled sentence; now it trembles, breaks, and dissolves into a wail. You hear yourself in that wail, your own pain and panic—some part of _you_ is present even as the power speaks through you. You knew what was being said.

_Dave. I found that bastard, and he killed you. I killed you._

On the screen and in real time, your hands ball into fists. You've got to be hurting Rose, but you can't _help_ it. Neither can you help the tears that begin to make their way down your face.

John reaches over, stopping the video. "You kept going like that for a while—we had to try to wake you up, we couldn't tell who was in control—Jake?" 

He wants an answer. He wants you to tell him what's going on. 

Instead of doing that, you shake your head again. Rose places her free hand on your shoulder and you jerk away, wrapping your arms around your stomach and leaning forward when she tries to take your hand again. You don't deserve contact, you don't deserve concern, can't she _see_ that? You did this. _You_ found that demon, the Speaker to the Dead, you brought him into this, you've killed Dave. 

"Jake—" 

"He's dead," you force out. You should say more, explain, but as soon as you admit it out loud your breath is stolen by sobs so violent they _hurt._

"Oh, god—Jake, what's going on?" Rose is still trying to touch you, calm you—she doesn't understand. Doesn't get that you've killed him. 

" _Dave,_ " you choke out, because they need a name, they deserve that much.

John makes a strangled sound. 

"Kurloz—something he did, he—Dave's gone, I've killed him, I found Kurloz—my _fault_ —" 

Someone's arms settle around you, startling you into silence. 

"Dave's dead?" Rose asks softly, almost directly into your ear. "You're sure?" 

You can't manage anything but a nod. You wish the power hadn't released you. That you'd stayed in that unfeeling, unknowing state. At least then there'd be a reason for you to be this wretchedly useless. 

"John," Rose says, and another pair of arms settle around you. 

They hold you like that for what seems like an eternity. Rose is shaking slightly; John's crying not-quite-silently, in that way that would break your heart if it hadn't already been shattered. 

Rose is the one to pull away, and you almost recoil from the murderous grief in her violet eyes. You don't look away, though. 

"Jake." 

"...yes." 

" _This is not your fault._ Do you understand me? What you did, you did to protect him, keep him from harm. _Kurloz_ is to blame. His _brother_ is to blame. Not you." When you just stare back at her, Rose's eyes move to John. "Start sending out messages. Kanaya, Calliope, Jane—go through your contacts, start calling them in. Tell them what happened. Tell them we have a hunt." 

"On it." His voice is still thick with tears, but you can hear the determination and anger there too as well. He lets go of you, heading out of the room. 

"Jake," Rose says, focusing on you again, "this isn't your fault." 

So much sadness in her face. So much anger, even if it's not directed at you. 

"Rose, I—" 

"No. It's not your fault. You're not infallible; stop—thinking you need to be—" Her voice cracks and she closes her eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath. "You need to help us find the one who _is_ to blame. Make him pay." 

You're to blame. 

You know that. 

But you can't stay still anymore. You can't be _useless_ anymore. You can't know that you knew the future and did nothing to change it. 

So you nod, and take her hand when she offers it, and let her pull you to the other room, to your cards and pendulums, and you start trying to learn what you need to do.

* * *

Some unmeasured number of hours later, Roxy yelps, startling you out of your half-trance. You jerk, sending the cards of the tarot deck you were shuffling flying all over the coffee table, and look over at her. 

She's staring down at the rapidly-changing tattoos along her right forearm—proximity alerts, to warn of hostile magic near her. Usually she leaves them inactive, but now is not a usual situation. 

"Roxy?" Rose asks, very carefully setting aside the ball of yarn she's been wrapping around various stones and trinkets to make a potentially-deadly spell. "Who's coming?" 

For a moment she doesn't get an answer, as the marks keep shifting. Even from your angle you can tell that there's too much color, too many reds. 

"Something powerful as _fuck,_ " Roxy says finally, closing her hand into a fist. The colors go still and dim as she mutes the tattooed spell. "Get John." 

Rose is already moving to do just that. You snatch up your matched pistols from where you'd set them under the table, and head for the front door to ambush whatever's coming. 

Of course, nothing happens for a good five minutes. Long enough for John and Rose to join you. Long enough for you to realize that you're shaking and there's nothing you can do about it. 

Car doors slam. 

Ten seconds later, the door slams open, and you _very nearly_ fire before you hear a familiar, gleeful voice shout, "Guess who fuckin' died—holy _shit_!" 

The "holy shit" is mostly Dave's response to getting tackled by you, John, and Rose all at once. Damn, he probably doesn't like this at all—you know how he is with touching, with being held, you should let him go—

Something in you screams _no_ to that idea, and you hold him tighter and just _sob._

"Holy fucking shit," Dave says again, his tone so baffled that it's nearly funny. "Dirk, help, come get your boyfriends—" 

"Yeah." Dirk's hands are already on you, gently pulling your hands off Dave, putting himself in between you and Dave when you can't help but try to get back to him. "Jake, what happened?" 

"I—" God, what are words? You give up on words for the moment, instead wrapping your arms around Dirk and burying your face in his shirt. You can hear Rose scolding Dave for scaring her, John babbling out a disconnected string of questions, Roxy trying to ask Hal what the _hell_ he's done to himself, but you can't focus on any of it. Can't find words of your own either. "Dave." 

"Right here. _Definitely_ alive, I swear." All the laughter's gone out of Dave's voice now, leaving understanding sympathy. "You knew I died, huh?" 

You nod, even though you're so pressed up against Dirk that the movement's probably imperceptible. "The—bloody powers spoke through me, prophecy, Kurloz—I thought you _died,_ Davey—" 

"You weren't really wrong." Dirk sighs, working his fingers through your hair. "He's okay, Jake." 

"But—" 

"Wait one fucking minute," Dave interrupts. "Rose, did you just say you told _everybody_ about this shit?" 

She _has_ still been talking, hasn't she? "I thought we'd need to hunt down whatever killed you, Dave—don't you look at me like that. _You're_ the one who almost died!" 

You look up just in time to see the look on Dave's face. Your own laugh surprises you.

* * *

turntechGodhead (TG)  created memo "i died but im okay now"!

turntechGodhead added golgothasTerror,  gardenGnostic,  uranianUmbra, moralDictation, timaeusTestified, and eight others to memo "i died but im okay now"!

 MD: I w9uld like t9 say that I am very c9nfused.

TT: We didn't call Kankri, Dave.

TG: goddamnit yall   
TG: okay in the future calling the angel in for shit is a good move

EB: i didn't have his chumhandle!

TG: well you do now  
TG: anyway kankri just read the memo title  
TG: that pretty much explains it

CG: NO, IT REALLY DOESN'T.  


MD: Is. Is "died" s9me s9rt 9f euphemism in this case?

TG: no i died  
TG: quick someone ask me if im okay

TT: How about we don't make this into a joke.

TG: shut up dirk if i want to be an idiot right now i will be  
TG: i died so i deserve it

GG: you don't sound very dead dave!  
GG: which is really really relieving but also pretty confusing! john said jake had a vision that youd died; i thought he didnt get things wrong when that happened?

GA: To Be Fair, Jake's Powers Simply Report Or Predict Events. If He Mistook The Latter For The Former, This Is Understandable.

TG: what part of "i literally died" do yall not understand

GG: The part where you explain how you're making memos if you died.

TG: okay so  
TG: bro killed me  
TG: holed lung, sword through the heart  
TG: well not right through it but enough to yknow make it stop keeping me alive  
TG: not sure exactly how far that is but it hurt like hell  
TG: at least until it didnt

CG: DAVE. FOCUS.

TG: yeah sorry   
TG: might be stuck on that for awhile

TT: Traumatizing events can have that effect, and death is one of the greatest possible traumas.

TG: no psychoanalysis in my goddamn memo

TG: play nice, dave.

TG: no

turntechGodhead blocked tentacleTherapist from replying to "i died but im okay now"!

carcinoGeneticist unblocked tentacleTherapist from replying to "i died but im okay now"!

TT: Thank you, Karkat.  
   
CG: NO PROBLEM.  


TG: did you absolutely have to betray me like that man  


CG: YES.  


TG: goddamn  


GA: Weren't We Doing Explanations Here?  


TG: oh yeah that  
TG: okay so i really dont want to go over the why because im hella uncomfortable with it myself and i need to figure out what it means a lil better but  
TG: yall know kurloz right? the speaker to the dead?  
TG: when he raised bro he put a reflective thingy in the magic

AI: Reflective necromancy.  


UU: why?  


TG: because he had to  
TG: the shit he was using was really fucking specific because he had to fulfill a prophecy  
TG: see bro and me  
TG: we had to fight  
TG: and one of us had to kill the other one  
TG: except the one who got killed was the one who would survive the fight  
TG: and see i knew that because kurloz decided to cheat  
TG: bro didnt

TT: ...oh, gods.  
TT: You had to let him kill you.

TG: fuck, davey.

TG: everyone within my range is projecting stunned horror at me and i really hate it

TG: in our defense we all did just realize how fucked up today was for you.

TG: yeah  
TG: i guess  
TG: see the title of memo? thats still true  
TG: im okay

GG: hmm. karkat?

CG: HE'S MOSTLY OKAY.

TG: youre such a traitor youre lucky i love you  
TG: also karkat and me killed a demigod and now we own a whole pocket dimension

AI: Wait, you did what?

TG: yeah  
TG: bye

turntechGodhead has left the memo!

CG: ...  
CG: SORRY, BUT HELPING HIM DESTRESS IS HIGHER ON THE PRIORITY LADDER THAN UNCONFUSING YOU GUYS.

carcinoGeneticist has left the memo!

MD: ...I am  _still_  c9nfused.

**Author's Note:**

> jesus christ that chatlog was evil to format
> 
> update: okay _now_ I fixed the fucking chatlog since I did it _wrong_ the first time
> 
> update 2: i didn't fix the chatlog. fucking hell.
> 
> update 3: it is fixed and this time I mean it
> 
> update 4: fucking fuckballs it is actually not fixed
> 
> update 5: if it's not fixed this time I will face god, walk backwards into hell, and drag Lucifer out to tell me what I'm doing wrong


End file.
